The field of the present invention is floatation devices, and more specifically, personal floatation devices, also referred to as life vests or life jackets.
Many personal floatation devices (xe2x80x9cPFDxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cPFD""sxe2x80x9d) provide a back floatation package that is connected to two front floatation packages to form a vest. Floatation packages are generally made of material such as foam. Floatation packages made of foam are bulky.
Many PFD""s arrange the foam in both of the two front floatation packages and in the back floatation package to fit the wearer""s body beginning just above the wearer""s waist and extending upward to the wearer""s shoulders. Most PFD""s provide a generally equal distribution of foam in the front and back floatation packages, with just slightly more foam in the front.
There is a drawback to such PFD""s in situations where the wearer sits in a chair with a back support structure. For example, kayaks and other boats have seats with back supports. As a consequence of the back floatation package of most PFD""s being made of foam that fits just above the wearer""s waist, when the wearer wears the vest and tries to sit in a chair with a back support structure, the foam in the back floatation package of the vest interferes with the back support of the chair. The result of wearing such a PFD in a chair with a back support is that the body of the wearer is forced forward in such a back-supported seat. Such forward-sitting prevents the wearer from sitting safely, comfortably, and securely in a back-supported seat.
The present invention provides a personal floatation device comprising a back floatation package extending horizontally, latitudinally (when worn) across an upper back shoulder portion of the vest from an upper right back shoulder portion to an upper left back shoulder portion. The back floatation package of the present invention has a lower edge that extends horizontally (latitudinally) from a rear left-arm mid-sleeve position to a rear right-arm mid-sleeve position. The present invention further comprises a back non-floatation anchoring means that is connected to the lower edge of the back floatation package. The back non-floatation anchoring means extends vertically (longitudinally) from the lower edge of the back floatation package to a waist of the vest. In various embodiments, the back non-floatation anchoring means may comprise a panel of material, a panel of mesh material, a configuration of straps, either adjustable or non-adjustable, or other anchoring means. In the exemplary embodiment, the back non-floatation panel extends horizontally (latitudinally) from a right side portion of a back of the vest to a left side portion of the back of the vest.
It should be noted that herein, the terms xe2x80x9chorizontallyxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9clatitudinallyxe2x80x9d are both used interchangeably herein to refer to elements of the present invention that, when an embodiment of the present invention is in an upright position such as when it is worn, or is in an upright position as to be worn, or is hung upright on a clothes hanger, extend from one side, e.g., the left side, to another side, e.g., the right side, of the vest of the present invention.
The terms xe2x80x9cverticallyxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9clongitudinallyxe2x80x9d are both used interchangeably herein to refer to elements of the present invention that, when an embodiment of the present invention is in an upright position such as when it is worn, or is in an upright position as to be worn, or is hung upright on a clothes hanger, extend from a point at one level to a point at a lower level of the vest of the present invention.
It will be understood by someone with ordinary skill in the art that the present invention is a type of garment that can be placed in various positions or folded in any number of variations; certain spatially-relevant descriptive terms used herein are used to describe the relative positions of elements of the present invention when an embodiment of the present invention is in an upright position such as when it is worn, or is in an upright position as to be worn, or is hung upright on a clothes hanger; that when an embodiment of the present invention is in some alternative position, such as, for example, laying flat, folded, stuffed into a duffle bag, or hung upside down from or folded over a clothes line, the elements described will be in positions other than as described herein.
In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the vest further comprises a first connecting means extending horizontally through a mid-back-level portion of the back non-floatation panel.
In a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the vest further comprises a second connecting means extending horizontally through an above-waist-level portion of the back non-floatation panel.
In a still further exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the vest further comprises a third connecting means extending horizontally through a waist-level portion of the back non-floatation panel.
In a yet further exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the vest further comprises a left front floatation package having a left front shoulder portion, a right front floatation package having a right front shoulder portion, a right connecting means connecting the right back shoulder portion to the right front shoulder portion, and a left connecting means connecting the left back shoulder portion to the left front shoulder portion.
In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the vest comprises a floatation package comprising a front portion and a back portion, the back portion of said floatation package fitting high on a wearer""s back shoulders, the back portion of said floatation package having a lower edge; the vest further comprising a back non-floatation panel connected to the lower edge of the back portion of the floatation panel, said back non-floatation panel extending vertically from the lower edge of the back portion of the floatation package to a waist of the vest.